Dana Holding Corporation will expand its supplier relationship with Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. under a new contract to supply the Indian OEM with its lightweight Spicer axles, with AdvanTEK gears, for a new platform of sport-utility vehicles and small trucks.

The terms of the contract award were not announced.

Mahindra & Mahindra is an industrial conglomerate that manufactures agricultural equipment and commercial vehicles, but also has stakes in IT and real estate. It is India’s largest automaker, and it has wide range other investments in manufacturing, high-tech, defense, and financial industries.

The XUV 500 is an SUV, designed in-house by Mahindra for the domestic Indian market but projected to its first global SUV platform. Europe, Africa, Australia, and Latin America are other target markets.

The Spicer axle systems are engineered for efficiency and fuel economy thanks to lower hypoid offsets, Dana explained. A proprietary assembly technology, involving AdvanTEK gears, results in a drivetrain system with better power density and noise- and vibration-control

"Dana's expertly engineered axles help meet Mahindra & Mahindra's demand for an efficient and lightweight product for its new platform," according to Mark Wallace, president of Dana Light Vehicle Driveline Technologies. "For more than a decade, Dana's relationship with Mahindra & Mahindra has continued to grow as we continue to bring advanced technologies and vehicles to the Indian market."

Production will start mid-2015 at Spicer India Ltd. in Chakan, India. That plant is a joint venture of Dana and Anand Automotive Systems, and produces axles, drivetrain products, and service parts for OEMs and the aftermarket in India.